Safety device



Jan. 13, 1931. c. MUEHLEISEN SAFETY DEVICE Filed y 1; 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Earl NuehlE: 5 2m ATTORNEY Jan. 13, 1931. 'c M E N 1,789,110

SAFETY DEVICE Filed May 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 8 INVENTOR. c rl memmn 139 The accompanying drawings Patented Jan. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFI-CE 1 CARL MUEELEISEN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA SAFETY Application filed May 11,

Theipresentiinvention relates to valve con trol devices for use in connection with vehicles havin a fuel feeding system.

' Objects 01 the invention are to provide a device of the above characterwhich will act automatically to prevent fire when the vehicle tilts laterall'y from the normal, and

will prevent v the Eflames from spreading should any occur in proximity to "the ver-io hicle or to the fuel system thereof.

A further object is :to provide mechanism which will act automatically to out off the supply of fuel under the above circumstances.

'The invention consists in controlling the fuel system lby va'lves normally closed under yieldable pressure means, and holding the same open by means under tension, the tensionof *w'hichis released under the influence 7 of fire and the abnormal lateral tilting of the vehicle.

Means may be provided for releasing the tension when the vehicle tilts abnormally and inflammable, [fusible or heat aflected means may be provided "for eflecting this when a fire occurs. This mechanical means may take the form of gravity operated mechanism as a latch released by the movement of a weighted member;

illustrate one I embodiment of the invention in which drawings,

F'g-ure 1 is a fragmentary representation of an automobile disclosing a fuel feed sys- "tem therefor and an embodiment of the invention applied thereto,

' F gure2 is a d tail of mechanism for releasing the restraining tension on the valve closing means,

Figure 3is a vertical section through the device shown in Figure 2 'on the line 83 of Figure "4, and

Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Figure3 at right angles to this section shown by Figure 3. V

The mechanism to which the invention is applied maybe in the nature of internal combustion engine cylinders arranged in a block, as shown at .10, to which fuel is suppliedthroug h a conduit 11 leading atrom a DEVICE 1929. serial No. 362,325.

supply tank 12 shown in the :present drawings as in an upright position. V

A still further conduit 13 may be pro.- vided leading from the main gasoline :tank, not shown. These conduits are controlled by *valvesld and 15, respectively, which are normally closed under the influence-0f yieldable members, as the springs 16 and 17.

The valves may beopened by pull on the lever arms 18 and 19 against the influence of these springs These valves, in the pres ent invention, are held open by means of suitable holding means, :as by the cords or cables 20 and :21 which-may be "connected .at :a point22 to a commoncord 23 attached to a suitable stationary'member, :as to the tank 12.

The ttensioning of these cords may be im- :proved by the {provision of yieldable members, as springs 2.4, at some point in the 7 length thereof, as between the lever arms 18 and 1 9, and the cords themselves. The cord may be extended in such a manner as to .lie in all regions about the engine or other mechanism of the vehicle where fire :is likely to occur. a

The cord in the present instance is shown as extending forwardly from the valves past the manifolds of the engine where it is extended through the eye 25 of an eye bolt attached to the radiator of the engine. The cord is then extended rearwardly and 'connected to the tank 12 in a suitable manner.

The ramifications of this cord in the present showing are believed to be'suflicient to illustrate the principles of the invention although it is to be understood that it may.

be .criss-crossedor otherwise extended to bring a portionrethereof in all localities where fire risk is great enough toimake this desirable. The .member :herein referred :to variously as a cord for the like, is a .line which falls within the :usual acceptance of that term but also includes any other type of line which might be inflammable, fusible or heat rup- @t'nred of such :a nature as to become ruptured upon the rise of temperature above a oerta-in degree, allowing the valves 14: and

15 to close underthe influence :of the springs :00

from subjects persons imprisoned by the.

over-turned car to great risk of injury and danger of being burned to death before they can be extricated from the wrecked vehicle.

As a precaution in conditions of this character, I have constructed my safety device so as to automatically cut off the flow of fuel from the supply tanks when the, vehicle has tilted beyond a certain angle of safety. As shown in the present illustration, I have selected this angle as that of from the vertical, although it is to be understood that it is within the purview of this invention to select any other angle that experience may dictate.

Themechanism by which the cord 23 and consequently the cords 20 and 21 are permitted to slack, allowing the valves to close under the influence of the springs 16 and 17 is in the nature of a gravity operated latch mechanism to which the cord is attached and which will release the same when the vehicle has tilted beyond this predetermined angle. This latch or release mechanism comprises a casing 26 having the sidewalls 27 thereof arrangedat' angles of 45 to the vertical. Pivoted tothe front 'of this member is a hook 28 about which the cord may be looped,

as at 29, and properly secured by a knot or 7 otherwise. Within the casingis a holding member 30 which may be pivota'lly secured to the wall of the casing, as shown at 30*, and projects through an aperture 31 in the frontof the casing and is provided with a finger 32 adapted to hold the member 28 In order that the weighted member, which as stated above is'in the present embodiment in the nature of a ball 33, may be prevented from being thrown accidentally against the memberBO due to violent vibrations of the vehicle, a forwardly projecting pocket 34 is provided at the bottom of the casing 26 in which the ball :is automatically seated by the sloping bottom wall: 35 when the vehicle is in an upright positioni Under these circumstances anyvibration of the machine will throw the. ball against the walls of this pocket and not against the member 30, thereby maintaining the valves "open under conditions of this character.

From the foregoing descriptionit will appear that I have provided a device which will operate to prevent fire and to limit the same, when occurring, to small areas and to short duration by ingenious employment of cords and latch mechanisms connected with valves which automatically close when the tension 011 the said cords is diminished.

It is believedthat the operation of the mechanism-is apparent from the above description and further enlargement in this matter will, therefore, be dispensed with.

In conclusion, it is to be understood that various changes and adaptations of the mechanism as herein described may be made within the scope of the invention as hereinbefore set forthand hereinafter claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim is: I a

1. A fire control device for vehicles having storage tanks for inflammable fluid fuel, valves controlling the flow of'said fuel from said tanks, said control comprising means for normally holding said valves closed, and inflammable means for holding said valves open. a .c

2. A" firecontrol dGVlCGifOYVQhlClGS having storage tanks for inflammable fluid fuel, valves controlling the flow of said fuel from said tanks, said control comprising means for normally holding said valves closed, and an inflammable cord for holding said valves open. 7

3. In combination with the fuel feed system of an automobile havingcontrol valves, meansnormally closing said valves, and inflammable means for holding said valves open. 1

4. In combination with the fuel feed system of an automobile having valves for controlling the flow of fuel therethrough, means for yieldingly holding said valves closed, a heat rupturable: cord attached at one end to said valves, a pivoted hook, said cord being releasably held by saidhook, a latch for maintaining the hook in holding posi tion, and means operable under the influence of canting the vehicle beyond a certain an'gleto thervertical for causing the latch vto release the hook.

5. In combination with the fuel feed system of an automobile having valves for controlling the flow of fuel therethrough, means for yieldingly. holding said valves closed, a heat rupturable cord attached at one end to said valves, apivoted hook, said cord being releasably heldby said hook, a. latch for maintaining the hook in holdin position, and gravity means operable under the influence of canting the vehicle beyond a certain angle to the vertical for causing the latch to release the hook.

6. A- fire preventing device for vehicles having a fuel system controlled by a valve, said device including yieldable means for closing' the valve, a heat rupturable cord attached to the valve and means for tensioning the cord to hold the valve open, and means for releasing the tension on the cord to permit the valve to close, said last means being operable under influence of the canting of the vehicle.

7. A fire preventing device for valve controlled fuel systems of vehicles including means for holding the valves open, and means for automatically closing the valves when the holding means is released, said holding means including a heat rupturable cord attached at one end to the valves and latch mechanism attached to the other end for holding the cord under tension and gravity operated means for causing the release of the cord from the latch mechanism.

8. A fire control device for vehicles having storage tanks for inflammable fluid fuel,

valves controlling the fiow of said fuel from said tanks, sald control comprlslng means for normally holding said valves closed, and

heat rupturable means for holding said valves open.

9. A fire control device for vehicles having storage tanks for inflammable fluid fuel, valves controlling the flow of said fuel from said tanks, said control comprising means for normally holding said valves closed, and a heat rupturable line tensioned for holding said valves open.

10. The combination with a fuel feed system of an automobile having control valves, means normally closing said valves, and heat rupturable means tensioned for holding said valves open.

11. The combination of a vehicle, a fluid fuel conduit thereon, a valve in said conduit normally yieldingly closed, a latch, heat rupturable, tension means from the latch to the valve holding said valve open, and means initiated by an abnormal tilt of the vehicle to release the latch.

12. The combination of a vehicle, a fluid fuel conduit thereon, a valve in said conduit fluid fuel conduit thereon, a valve in said i6 conduit normally yieldingly closed, a latch,

tension means from the latch to the valve holding said valve open, a housing having inclined sides and a terminal pocket, a sphere mounted within the housing normally seated within the pocket, a member extending across the housing and connected with the latch, said member being in the path of movement of said sphere along said inclined sides when the vehicle is abnormally tilted laterally.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CARL MUEHLEISEN.

normally yieldingly closed, a latch, heat rupturable tension means from the latch to the valve holding said 'valve open, and means initiated by an abnormal lateral tilt of the vehicle to release the latch.

13. The combination of a vehicle, a fluid fuel conduit thereon, a valve in said conduit normally yieldingly closed, a latch, heat rupturable tension means from the latch to the valve holding said valve open, and a member actuated by gravity initiated by an abnormal lateral tilt of the vehicle to release the latch.

14. The combination with a vehicle, a fluid fuel conduit thereon, a valve in said conduit normally yieldingly closed, a latch, heat rupturable, tension means from the latch to the valve holding said valve open, a housing means within the housing for actuating the latch, and a member movable within the 

